Wrestling Returns To Historic First WCW Nitro Location After 27 Years

F1RST Wrestling brought the sport back to the Mall of America for the first time in 27 years.

by Andy H Murray
Mall of America F1rst Wrestling
F1RST Wrestling

Professional wrestling returned to the historic site of WCW Nitro's first ever episode this weekend, with F1RST Wrestling hosting its appropriately-named Saturday Night Nitro event at the Mall Of America on 10 September.

The Minneapolis, Minnesota-based independent promotion became the first group to run the Mall of America in 27 years, doing so with a card featuring a host of familiar names.

Rob Van Dam wrestled AEW's Dante Martin to a no-contest in the second-to-last match before the duo teamed up in a victory over Sonny Kiss and Ari Daivari of the Trustbusters in the main event. Fellow AEW wrestlers Colt Cabana, Ethan Page, and Orange Cassidy were also on the lineup, along with indie standouts Billie Starkz and Warhorse, former WWE man Lince Dorado, and more.

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Understandably, given how clean and unique it looks, Saturday Night Nitro yielded a bunch of incredible photographs:-

World Championship Wrestling held its iconic debut episode of Monday Night Nitro from the Bloomington, Minnesota mall on 4 September 1995, meaning F1RST's event almost took place 27 years to that date. Saturday Night Nitro looked like it drew a packed house, though there was no sign of Lex Luger in the crowd this time around.

The official pay-per-view replay of F1RST Wrestling's Saturday Night Nitro is currently available on FITE.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.